by Diana
When I was a child I learnt to draw palm trees with coconuts on top- and not because I would have necessarily seen them during our frequent trips to the beach - which I did- but only because I was told that coconuts grow on palm trees and I never questioned it. Probably in the same way I then learnt to draw a house, the sun, the stars, trees, mountains, a boat - I adopted a pre-established imagery repertoire from which I produced automatic pictures that were not much different from the ones other kids in my class did. In art therapy I often encounter adults saying they don’t know how to draw but I feel I actually learnt to draw properly when I started university- by giving me permission to contemplate and to challenge preconceptions. Only then I discovered that palm trees also produce delicious dates and, perhaps in Middle Eastern countries, kids draw Palm trees without the coconuts on top. When the time comes, I want to be able not to teach my child how to draw, I want him to discover the world himself through his pencil case and to observe and capture it freely. To make it up for dates I made this cake full of deliciousness- the best Medjoul dates as ever, are from my friends in Zaytoun. Enjoy!
